


good help (is so hard to find)

by paradajka



Category: All-New Inhumans, Inhumans (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Crystal's damn couch, Episode Tag, Family, Gen, it's a comic but the same principle applies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-02 03:49:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10208960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paradajka/pseuds/paradajka
Summary: "You don't like my couch?""It's fine. Aesthetically. Seems like it might not be comfortable if no one's using it though."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> set just after All-New Inhumans #4

"Celebrating without me?"

Crystal hears Gorgon approach - the click of the doors opening, the soft whir of his chair's motor - but she's so lost in thought that the sound of his voice, speaking a language she rarely hears out here, startles her.

"Cousin," she says, turning to face him. "I— Wasn't expecting you so soon."

In all honesty she's still not used to him being able to sneak up on her that easily, but there's no way she'd ever say that aloud. Gorgon has always been quick-tempered, but since he was injured his emotional reactions have been a lot more unpredictable. Take earlier, for instance. He got worked up over something no one had even said.

If Gorgon notices her stumbling over her words he doesn't draw attention to it. "So are the drinks for surviving our trip to Sin-Cong?"

It seems like he's in a better mood now, at least. Sending him to help Swain was a good idea, despite everything that happened with the Living Dream.

 _See, Sister_ , she thinks. _One thing is going the way we'd both like it to._

"The drinks are for having to explain to Medusa and Daisy exactly what getting out of Sin-Cong alive entails. You want one?" She holds up the bottle before topping up her own glass.

"I would. You could've waited for me before you called them."

Crystal shakes her head. "No. It was my decision. And I know you didn't agree. It was bad enough with the two of them disapproving."

"Well, we have the resources to help the people here, even if we shouldn't be sending them. And... There weren't many ways out of here that didn't involve violence. She's not thinking of that."

That's probably as close to a compliment as she'll get from anyone today, so she takes it, for whatever it's worth. 

She finishes pouring his drink and casually floats the glass over on an air current, leaves it hovering in front of him so no one has to hold it. It's "a neat party trick", as Johnny had once said, back when she knew the two words but had no idea what they meant when put together. The only person who's ever come close to being as excited at her ability to hold dishes in place with the wind was Luna at two. 

More importantly this evening, it works well as a test of how much the alcohol is affecting her.

Gorgon grabs the straw between his teeth and takes a drink.

"You went to see Flint," Crystal says. "How is he?"

"He'll be fine. Benefit of having a healer on the team."

"And you spoke to Panacea as well?" 

"I'm not going to ask her to heal _me_ , if that's what you're wondering. We got lucky with Flint, but we have no idea what the scope of her powers is yet." He goes quiet for a moment. "Besides, it's been so long she might not be able to do anything about it."

"That's... not why I was asking. I know how hard you had to work to convince her to help us with the mission. I just want to know if she's still cooperating."

"Right. Well, I haven't talked to her yet." This is the part where he shuts down, the part where Crystal has to choose her words even more carefully than usual. But she knows this, and she wanted him here, so that's what she'll have to do.

"Look, whatever you decide to do about this. Having a healer at our disposal. That's up to you. I brought you here to help with the team, and that's all I'm expecting. Honestly. You told me earlier that you trust my judgement. Well, I trust yours too."

"I'm not sure that's the best idea, but thanks."

Crystal decides to let the implications of that slide, lifting her glass to her lips and finishing it off. She pours herself another — it's that kind of night — before letting the bottle go, mid-air, and floating it over to her cousin. 

"What are you doing?" Gorgon asks, backing up a bit.

"You don't want more?"

"I don't want you to spill it on me."

"I'm not going to spill it. When have I ever— Wait, don't answer that." He's known her her entire life, so. Bad idea doesn't begin to cover it.

"I don't think you want me to."

"I'm sure I wasn't that bad."

"You only say that because you don't remember."

"Well, look, I didn't spill a drop _now_." She tips the bottle back to a vertical position and eases it back to the table. Gorgon doesn't so much as approach his glass until the bottle is well away from him, as if an errant drop might hit him if he gets too close. "So, Panacea," Crystal continues. "We might have to talk to her again, but we'll see how things go. I'm thinking we can do mission debrief in a few hours. Or tomorrow. Whenever we're far enough out of Sin-Cong airspace."

"In here?"

"Why not?"

"Well, we certainly have the room for it." Gorgon nods toward the seating area, grins.

"You don't like my couch?"

"It's fine. Aesthetically. Seems like it might not be comfortable if no one's using it though."

"It is," she says, flopping onto the cushions defiantly. It's a bit firm, sure, but it's for meetings, not for relaxing. Well, when she doesn't fall asleep on it, that is (she's slept there more often than not lately, probably would have napped the next few hours away if Gorgon hadn't shown up, so if nothing else he's saved her from one regret about today).

"Okay, fine, it's comfortable. Not really accessable, though."

Crystal looks down at the recessed flooring, the four steps that lead to the seating area, and thinks, _oh_. She'd made sure the ship was as accessible as possible in most places, because you never know what the effects of terrigenesis will be, but here in her council room... "Sorry."

Gorgon stares down the staircase, frowning slightly. "I could get down there," he says finally. "For the meeting. Should be able to get back up too. Extra work but it won't kill me."

"Good. I wouldn't want to have to call Medusa about unexpected casualties from our first mission."

"' _You should have kept the table!_ '" It's a terrible impression of her sister, but Crystal finds it hilarious anyway.

"Speaking of tables, we'll need to move this one?"

"Probably a good idea. Put it against the wall so no one sits on it."

"Ha. And you said Flint was a good kid. I can still see his footprints in the dust here."

"You know," Gorgon says after a pause, taking another sip of his drink, "if we're debriefing in a few hours we should probably stop drinking."

"Are you asking me to take your glass away, cousin?"

"No. All I said is we _should_. If we're not we'll just have to start the meeting later."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> set after All-New Inhumans #11

It feels good taking the time to celebrate with her crew and family, but any time spent away from her work means staying up later to catch herself up. Crystal is past tired by the time she's satisfied that she can go to bed and not be awoken by a preventable emergency, but as she walks toward her quarters she remembers she hasn't heard from Gorgon in hours. He left the party early, telling them that medical had to run some tests. She's not worried that something's gone wrong — she'd have heard if that was the case. She's worried about something else.

It had taken close to a week from the day he joined the mission for her cousin to agree to see his son, and he did so with two conditions: that he would have unrestricted access to see Petras alone, and that Crystal would not ask how he felt about seeing him in that state. Another frustrating refusal to talk about what he was going through to add to the list. The benefit of this being her ship, though, meant she knew how often Gorgon went in to visit Petras, so she was aware he didn't stop after that first time. In fact, since he returned from Utolan he'd been in more frequently, though of course he hadn't mentioned any specific reason why.

She finds him in Petras' room, just as she had assumed. They've taken her nephew out of stasis, though there are still ample tubes and wires connecting him to the machines that keep him stable and alive. She manages to get almost all the way over to them before Gorgon notices she's entered the room.

"You know," he says slowly, looking back to his son and running a hand across the boy's forehead, "I'd forgotten how soft his fur was."

"Well, you didn't have much time with him before we had to evacuate the city." She places a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah. But he's always been like this. Small. Soft. Takes after his mother more than me."

"I always thought he looked like you."

Gorgon snorts. "You don't remember what I used to look like."

There's some truth to that. Crystal has no memory of him before terrigenesis, isn't even sure if his first time through the mists was before or after she was born. "I meant before you started growing a beard. Something about his face always reminded me of you."

"I never noticed that." He looks down at Petras again. "Not that it matters now."

"I'd say he looks more like you do _now_ , with the beard."

"Ha, well. Better him taking after me in looks than... everything else."

"You're not that bad, cousin."

"Sometimes I'm not so sure."

"If you were you wouldn't be at his side. I wouldn't have to drag you away from him. Which is what I'm doing now, by the way."

"I should stay, in case..."

"You know he's not going to wake up tonight." Petras is sedated, and will be until his condition improves enough to ease him off of it. The unfortunate fact is that he's better off unconsious for now. 

"Yes. But, he needs me. And there have been so many times he's needed or wanted me around and I haven't—"

"I know. But if you don't take care of yourself you won't be able to take care of him."

"I'm _fine_. The tests were all—"

"Gorgon, this isn't about the tests. It doesn't matter how healthy you are if you don't sleep."

"I'll sleep here."

"Where? There's barely room to sit."

"I'll find a place. When I'm tired."

He's a liar. He looks as exhausted as Crystal feels. She's running on fumes and he's three times as stubborn as she is, at the very least. They could be here all night.

A silence falls over the room. She squeezes Gorgon's shoulder, watches the rise and fall of Petras' chest, wills herself to stay alert.

She almost misses when he starts to speak again, voice uncharacteristically quiet."I just don't want him to be alone when he wakes up."

"I know. But I don't want _you_ to be alone now. Look, if you're not going to sleep could you just come with me for a while? It's still my birthday. Technically. In New Attilan."

"Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint you on your birthday," Gorgon says, standing up. Before he turns to leave with her he grasps Petras' right hand between his own, leans in close. "I'll be back soon, little one," he says, almost at a whisper.

"Ready?" Crystal asks as he makes his way to the door.

"I suppose I'll have to be. Where are you taking me?"

"If not to your quarters I guess we'll go to the war room. My liquor should be back in the cabinet if you want a drink. At least, I hope someone put it back."

When they get there Gorgon doesn't head to the cabinet, but instead makes his way to the couch, hesitating a fraction of a second before taking the stairs down and sitting almost exactly in the middle. He leans into the cushions, stretches his arms across the back.

"You know, I always wondered why everyone had a problem with this," he says.

"And?"

"It's not as bad as I assumed. I'm still not sure why Flint would rather sit on the table."

"Well, I'm glad you approve," she says, sitting down next to him.

"So what do we need to do tomorrow? Today? It's past midnight now isn't it?"

"Well past midnight. Thanks for reminding me how late it is. I assume you're asking because of Petras."

"Yeah. I'll need to spend more time with him now. Especially when he wakes up."

"So you're seeing how many meetings you can skip out of?" Crystal smiles. He has a good reason to want to spend time away from the diplomatic side of their mission (which can take up hours as the talks and negotiations go on), but her cousin has never had much patience for meetings in the first place. She picks up her phone from the table, scrolls through her calendar. "For now? If there aren't any emergencies, the only thing with me you need to be there for are our check-ins with Medusa. She'll want to see you."

"She just saw me!"

"And still, if you're not there she'll make me track you down before we can get started. It's one meeting a week. And then whatever training you promised you'd sit in on."

"I'm not _sitting in_ on anything anymore." 

Crystal smiles. "No, of course not. Just... be careful."

"Don't worry. I'm not going to throw anything at them they haven't already—"

"I meant be careful with yourself. Don't push yourself too hard just because you can."

"No point in asking you not to worry about that either, is there?"

"Unfortunately not. And, Gorgon? If you need me to be there for anything. With Petras _or_ with you, just let me know. I'll make time for it."

"You sound just like your sister."

"When did Medusa tell you that?"

"She wanted to see Petras before she left. And I was already in his room."

"She didn't tell me."

"Well, I doubt she thought I'd still be there. Or that you'd still be awake."

"There's always something that needs my attention; she shouldn't be surprised how late I need to work at it."

"And this is where I tell you that what you're saying works both ways. If you need me to help with something you know where to find me."

"Don't spend your all your time in medical."

"Hopefully not all of my time much longer. But I can get away if I have to. Or if you want to take time away from this to spend with Luna. You're the one that wanted me to assist with the mission. So I'm here to assist."

"You knew she'd be moving onto the ship, didn't you?" Crystal exclaims, putting the pieces together through her haze of exhaustion. 

"Of course I did. It wasn't my decision, but I wasn't going to refuse. It'll be good to have her here. For all of us."

They talk a while longer. There's a distinct moment when Crystal knows she won't be able to keep her eyes open another second, and by then it's too late to do much of anything about it.

She wakes up with a start, and by the lighting in the room she can tell it has been hours. She tries to stretch the stiffness from between her shoulderblades, looks to see if Gorgon has left or if he fell asleep next to her.

He's standing in front of the windows, looking out toward the ocean. As Crystal shifts to a better position he turns to her.

"You said that thing was comfortable," he says accusingly.

"Well, you're not supposed to fall asleep sitting on it. You did sleep, didn't you?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I think my chair would have been more comfortable, though."

"More back support, probably," Crystal says. She's a whole year older now, and feeling every bit of her age. 

"And you're not the one whose had four surgeries on their spine."

"You're still feeling okay this morning?"

"Yes. But I'm not too sure it's still morning."

"I'm surprised Swain hasn't called to check in."

"She did," Gorgon says as he walks back toward her. "Twenty minutes ago. I told her you were sleeping"

"You just let me sleep?! What if there was an emergency?"

"There wasn't. And you'd have to be tired to fall asleep sitting the way you were."

"And you waited this whole time for me to wake up?"

"Well I wasn't going to wake you up! I thought about going back to Petras, but... Someone would have called if there was any change. That's what I keep telling myself, anyway."

"That's good. You need to take a break from it sometimes." She stands up. "I think _I_ need to go have a shower." Standing with her back against a spray of hot water should help. It'll probably wake her up a bit more too. She dreads finding how many things she's behind on getting done.

"We should get breakfast first. _I'm_ starving. See if Luna wants to join us — she probably wants to eat with you anyway."

Luna. If Crystal's overslept as much as she thinks she has she's surprised Luna hasn't called. She grabs her phone from the table, looks at the screen. It is still morning, barely. And there are a handful of texts from her daughter. "Looks like Luna wanted to have breakfast two hours ago."

"We'll have lunch, then. I'll let her know."

Crystal knows he can send messages at the speed of thought, but instead Gorgon reaches over and grabs her phone, tapping the message into the keypad with his fingers. He holds the phone up high enough that she wouldn't be able to reach it if she tried. Not that she's going to try.

"Hey!"

"I'll give it back, don't worry. I just... wanted to practice. And I'm not sure what you all did with _my_ phone." He hits send and hands it back to her. "There. If you want to shower you have fifteen minutes."

" _Fifteen minutes_? Really?" Sure enough, that's what he told her daughter. Wonderful. And Luna's already seen it, texting back, [Sounds like a plan! Race you there  >:)]

In absence of a mirror, Crystal brings up her phone's camera to take a look at herself. She doesn't look great, but not as bad as she could. Her hair looks halfway decent too, the benefit of keeping it short. 

Gorgon's already standing in the doorway when she looks up.

"Coming?"

"Guess I don't have a choice now. Oh, and by the way, Luna decided it's a race."

That provokes a string of curse words in Tilan. 

"Not so loud," Crystal tells him. "There are children on board." Mutant children, Inhuman children, their own children. On the surface their mission is to help their people, wherever they are, however is needed. But more importantly, what they do now will hopefully make things better for the next generation, so that when Luna and Petras are their age they won't need to deal with this.

"I'm sure they've heard it before," Gorgon says dismissively. "Now show me the quickest way to the dining hall. No elevators."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I wrote this ages ago & meant to have it up before Royals started, so here we are. All-New Inhumans was amazing & I miss it, but hopefully we'll have more of Crys and Gorgon hanging out than we did in that era.) (More of Petras & Luna would be nice too.)


End file.
